I Think our Starters will be greenway Henderson and Hodges and our backups Mitchel and Mckenzie on the outside a positional battle between mauti and cole in the middle back up spot! I believe The only way mauti and cole both stay on the team is if they excel in special teams. I Have a feeling Dean will be gone this year_________________

I Think our Starters will be greenway Henderson and Hodges and our backups Mitchel and Mckenzie on the outside a positional battle between mauti and cole in the middle back up spot! I believe The only way mauti and cole both stay on the team is if they excel in special teams. I Have a feeling Dean will be gone this year

Well we kept seven linebackers last year. I wouldn't be surprised if we did it again. I do not see them rushing Mauti but at the same time he would get grabbed off the practice squad pretty quick._________________

Am i the only one who thinks that if Audie Cole if given the opportunity to take over at MLB, that he would more than just be in the process of being in the discussion but actually win the job? I really like the Hodges pick also for OLB. Then Mauti is an easy 2nd or 3rd rd pick this year if he stays healthy but his 3 knee injuries concerns me obviously. BUT, if he is able to stay healthy then I think a competition between at least, Mauti, Cole, and Henderson should taker place. Because from what I'm seeing it seems like Erin Henderson is all but penciled in as the starter. While i believe he could be solid at the position I just think Cole and a healthy Mauti would have much more to offer.

I Think our Starters will be greenway Henderson and Hodges and our backups Mitchel and Mckenzie on the outside a positional battle between mauti and cole in the middle back up spot! I believe The only way mauti and cole both stay on the team is if they excel in special teams. I Have a feeling Dean will be gone this year

Well we kept seven linebackers last year. I wouldn't be surprised if we did it again. I do not see them rushing Mauti but at the same time he would get grabbed off the practice squad pretty quick.

technically, 7, but i question if Larry dean is actually a LB._________________

He's sick of hearing about a lot of things, really. But nothing gets under Henderson's skin like the suggestion he can't, or shouldn't, or won't be the Minnesota Vikings' middle linebacker in 2013.

"Coach told me all the time, 'Play angry. You're too nice sometimes. Play angry,'" Henderson told 1500ESPN.com by phone on Wednesday. "I haven't been more pissed in -- I couldn't tell you. I don't think I've ever been this pissed in my entire life, to just hear people talk about stuff that they have no idea what they're talking about.

"I guess it's getting to a point now where it's like, 'Dang, I just want a little bit of respect.' I'm not asking you to call me the greatest linebacker to ever play the game yet. Maybe one day we might get to that point, but show me a little bit of respect for what I've done and what I've accomplished in this league."

He's actually done quite a bit given his circumstances. UDFA to solid WLB...

yes, but where he was or was not drafted doesn't matter any more. it's what he does on the field.

"In fairness to Henderson, he’s an absolutely serviceable NFL linebacker. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But he’s not the kind of guy teams build around, which is why the Vikings have been, and continue to be, linked to other names to fill the middle linebacker job. Henderson has hung around for five years after being undrafted, so the chip on the shoulder is well-earned. But if he thinks Urlacher’s coming in to compete, if he ever shows up, he’s clearly mistaken."

Henderson: "People can say I'm not a three-down 'backer. They can say whatever they want to say. But it's right there in front of your face. The proof is in the pudding. And I'm only going to get better from here. I'm going into my third season, and I've never felt more confident about myself or about my game than I do right now."

"I've kind of had to deal with it my entire career. A lot of people have said I shouldn't have been starting as the will 'backer. Coach was saying the same thing going into the season last year -- 'Well ... Erin's going to start out camp as the will backer.' It's never really been just outright, 'OK, this is Erin's position. This is Erin's spot.' So, I'm used to it. Just like now I've got to hear they might want to bring in Urlacher. Cool. Bring him in. And if he's better than me, if he can outplay me at that position, then let him play -- but just make sure it's a competition, you know what I mean? Make sure I've got a fair shot at it and I get my fair shake that I deserve at the position. That's all.

"And to the fans who don't believe that I can do it, you haven't seen me do it. How can you say that I can't do something if you haven't seen me do it? They say different things about my abilities or whether I should be a starting linebacker or everything else, but my numbers and the fact that I'm still here speak for themselves."

"You can keep holding the past against me. But you live and you learn. So, if I keep making the same mistakes repeatedly over and over and over, then yeah, you might have a case. But because somebody makes one mistake, you're telling me that they're just terrible at coverage and they're awful in coverage and they don't deserve to be a starting linebacker in the NFL -- that's not true."

Henderson: "People can say I'm not a three-down 'backer. They can say whatever they want to say. But it's right there in front of your face. The proof is in the pudding. And I'm only going to get better from here. I'm going into my third season, and I've never felt more confident about myself or about my game than I do right now."

"I've kind of had to deal with it my entire career. A lot of people have said I shouldn't have been starting as the will 'backer. Coach was saying the same thing going into the season last year -- 'Well ... Erin's going to start out camp as the will backer.' It's never really been just outright, 'OK, this is Erin's position. This is Erin's spot.' So, I'm used to it. Just like now I've got to hear they might want to bring in Urlacher. Cool. Bring him in. And if he's better than me, if he can outplay me at that position, then let him play -- but just make sure it's a competition, you know what I mean? Make sure I've got a fair shot at it and I get my fair shake that I deserve at the position. That's all.

"And to the fans who don't believe that I can do it, you haven't seen me do it. How can you say that I can't do something if you haven't seen me do it? They say different things about my abilities or whether I should be a starting linebacker or everything else, but my numbers and the fact that I'm still here speak for themselves."

"You can keep holding the past against me. But you live and you learn. So, if I keep making the same mistakes repeatedly over and over and over, then yeah, you might have a case. But because somebody makes one mistake, you're telling me that they're just terrible at coverage and they're awful in coverage and they don't deserve to be a starting linebacker in the NFL -- that's not true."